1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer or the like, to which an external memory apparatus, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or the like, is connectable, and also relates to a recording medium including a recorded data processing program for causing a computer to execute data processing in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the aid of a recent trend toward cost saving, the use of a USB memory as one of external memory apparatuses has been widespread. Following this spread of USB memorys, various apparatuses have been proposed which have a USB memory connection part that is configured to be connectable to a USB memory to thereby permit writing and saving various data into the USB memory and also retrieving data saved in the USB memory.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-303166 discloses a facsimile apparatus to which an external memory apparatus, such as USB memory or the like, is connectable. The Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-303166 states that, upon detection that a memory card is connected to a connection part, data stored in the memory card is automatically read.
An image forming apparatus or the like, for example, Multi Function Peripherals (MFP) as a multifunction complex machine, has not only a function of printing print data inputted from outside, but also has a function of saving image data obtained by scanning a document and a function of transmitting data to an external apparatus through a facsimile transmission function, a mail transmission function, or the like.
Thus, even when such an image forming apparatus is, by application of the technology stated in the patent document described above, provided with a connection part for an external memory apparatus, such as a USB memory or the like, only connection of the external memory apparatus to the connection part is not sufficient to indicate in which mode the user desires to execute a job: a mode in which data stored in the external memory apparatus is retrieved and outputted or a mode in which image data is saved into the external memory apparatus. Therefore, the user is required to voluntarily make, on the image forming apparatus, mode setting in accordance with a job the user desires to execute, which is expected to be far from being user-friendly.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.